Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-11
THE UMBRELLA HOMICIDE.
Trial Of Beverly Jones for the Murder
Of Robert b. Morris.

The Criminal Court, Judge Montgomery, yester-
day. after The STAR report closed, continued the
trial OF Beverly Jones' c0lored, for the murder OF
Robert B. Morris. by stabbing him in the eye
with the ferrule Of an umbrella september 3, in
an alteration about bottle OF whisky. Patrick
Frawley. who witnessed the difficulty between
the accused and the defendant, corroborated the
statement OF Gibson. Martha Newman testified
that she saw Jones "jab' the deceased In tn. eye
and then strike the deceased three times across
the face with an umbrella. Annie Bird testified
that she heard some ''cross-questioning" between
Jones and the deceased, and saw Jones strike
Morris with an umbrella, and other witnesses gave
similar testimony The district attorney said that
he thought that this would complete the Govern
ment's case.
THE TESTIMONY TO-DAY.
This morning the government recalled Dennis
Newman, who testified that ten minutes or so be-
fore the quarrel Jones asked him il he wanted
drink, saying there was bottle OF whisky In a
STALL but witness did not take II. Morris was In
versation John Gibson was recalled and tesu.
took drink 1t was given TO witness.
STATEMENT OF THE ACCUSED MAN.
The prisoner, Beverly Jones, was sworn, and
stated that his full name was Beverly Allen Jones;
that he was born In Virginia; that he had worked
for Knox, Springman Bros, Zurhorst, Stephenson,
and others; he had known the deceased ten or
eleven years, and they were always friendly.
son called me and said, you done me q dirty
trick and asked, How and he answered you
took drink Of that whisky, and said the boy said
drink? and the boy said yes. l denied It, and then
Norris SAID II that amt the truth there Is no God
same time feeling in his hip pocket was aston
ished, and told min that this was Mr.. stephen
sons stable and he did not want any trouble.
wa, then leaning on my umbrella, and said 1
would have him arrested. He then came at me
and just showed the umbrella, and would not
have done so for anything. l would rather he had
TO job his eye out. / did not say anything about
eyes. would not tell q lie for seat In heaven I
struck him three rec times but did not know that
on cross-examination witness said he had eaten
at Morris house; that Il was six years ago when
did not take the whisky from the bottle did
not call the boy liar or any hard names When
punched him In the face held the umbrella in
falling back when Morris came on with q rush"
The DEFENDANT denied that Gibson interfered
wtn them IL any any way Or that be detendan
the deceased. He gave all the blows, he said, az
once, one after another. He did not cali him
were ali en Wines had never a bssn Cons
victed OF q crime.
MT. Miller moved TO strike out all testimony ~
was granted 80 lar as was owen in ch,si: but The
motion was overruled as far as the crOss.examina-
lion was concerned, and an exception was nOLed
coSTRADiCTISa III. DEFENDANT.
Miss Ida Norris was called in rebuttal by the
Government and testified that she had no recol.
lection Of Jones eating In her fathers house, but
did recollect that she once took him something 10
eat TO the wagon. After the difficulty SIX years
ago the defendant never came to the house tai
about ten days before tho homicide, when he came
for pair Of shoes
WIN. Norris, son Of deceased, TESTIFIED that be
never knew the defendant TO be ia his fathers
house, but be was not always ct home. The de.
PENDANT was recalled BY the Government. and tes-
titled That he threw the umbrella away after the
occurrence when he found the stan was broken In
the middle: He did not know that the tip was
broken, and was quite certain that the tip ex.
h1bited was not the one
This closed the testimony.
District Attorney WorIhington claimed that
there never was palmer Case Of murder; there
being ten eye-witnesses; and they had shown
Jones TO be the aggressOr throughout.
Nj. I. i. Miller claimed, although there was
SUCH an array OF witnesses, that on the Testimony
a case OF murder had not been made out, for the
nature Of the weapon and the circumstances did
not tend 10 prove thai the defendant had an intent
to take life.